If you build right, you can have property designed which will—properly maintained—last for thousands of years. Today’s market provides greater opportunity for this kind of building than, perhaps, in all American history.
But you can’t just expect anything you put together to stand the test of time—you need to exercise proper craftsmanship. Following are several tips to help you do just that.
1. Source The Latest Equipment
Guided boring machines can do a better job while cutting down the necessary workload. This is one example of a technological upgrade in construction machinery. There are many areas where technology is revitalizing the industry, and you would be well advised to find out where such upgrades can serve your operations.
2. Use The Right Equipment For The Job
You can find quite a few skid steers by My Little Salesman, and even advice pertaining to proper acquisition—according to the site: “For fairly new skid steers, inspecting the condition of the tires, belts, hoses, and looking for leaks, rust and excessive exterior damage should be enough. Older skid steers may need to have the oil and hydraulic fluids tested for impurities or mechanical problems.”
3. Do Your Homework
Some building materials will be better for some jobs than others. Unless your job is to build prefabricated units, you want to look into more heavy-duty materials. There’s a reason the ancients favored stone, and working with stone: this material lasts longer than wood, plastic, or even synthetic materials in wide use today.
That’s not to say a traditional home built from wood can’t last for a long time, but it will require more concerted maintenance—replacement of walls, floors, roofs, etc. With a stone solution, you’ll get more mileage for less maintenance. So look at whatever building assignment your company is engaged with, and determine which building options will last the longest. This may cost more initially, but in the long-run it will cost lest.
4. Sustainable Energy Options
Solar panels have a shelf-life of about ten years, but a solar energy system increases property value, initiates tax breaks, and reduces utility expense. A 3.1 kWh solar energy system will cost approximately $5k to purchase and install—perhaps less if your construction agency has the right contacts. This figure includes cables, batteries, power inverters, etc.
Sustainable options provide off-grid capability, which is valuable to homeowners today, and additionally a resource conserving agent. Providing built-in grid independence makes a lot of sense, look into secondary and tertiary energy options as well. Wind energy and water energy (if running water is on the property) will cost about the same and provide electric redundancy to counter multiple emergency situations.
5. Where You Build
Build on the beach and the tide will erode your foundations. Build on solid rock and the property may survive an earthquake with essentially no damage. You don’t always have your best choice when it comes to property location, but if you can offer any advice in this regard to clients, you should help them to choose the best location.
Sometimes the best locations are actually cheaper than prime locations in a “downtown” environment. Again, research the issue as best you can beforehand, and bring that data to the table before clients/building agencies/housing development projects start making concrete plans.
Better, More Affordable Property Expands Business
When that which you’ve built saves clients money and stands the test of time, you’re going to get more clients. But this can take time. Plan on slow growth, and give every job your absolute best. Do that and you’ll see more structurally integral properties which save their owners money. You get out what you put in.
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